Yukon Nominee Program
Application Handbook
Overview
The Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) is administered by the Yukon Government in partnership with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) under the ‘Agreement for Canada-Yukon Cooperation on Immigration’ The purpose of the Yukon Nominee Program is to help the Yukon
Government respond to labour market needs in a sustainable way, while at the same time ensuring that job opportunities are safeguarded for Yukoners and Canadians. Please review the following guidelines to increase the chances of a successful application to the YNP.
The Process
The YNP is an economically based program that is employer driven in nature. Yukon employers who meet certain criteria may submit applications to the program to nominate qualified foreign nationals for employment and residence in Canada. If attempts to hire locally or nationally are unsuccessful and an employer is looking outside of Canada to fill labour shortages for permanent, full-time positions, the YNP is an option that is available to them. The YNP allows qualified foreign nationals the opportunity to work and settle in Yukon with the long-term goal of establishing themselves as permanent residents (PR) of Canada.
Hiring a foreign national to come and work in Yukon can be a lengthy process. Processing time for the YNP is eight to ten weeks upon receipt of a complete application. Once an application has been approved the foreign national must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a temporary work permit (see www.cic.gc.ca). Processing times for temporary work permits vary by country of origin. A temporary work permit allows the foreign national to come and work in Yukon while his/her application to CIC for permanent residency is being processed.
Yukon Nominee Program Process

YNP Application Handbook

1|Page

1) Employer Requirements

Eligibility: Employers must be registered and operating a business for a minimum of one year or be a recognized government body in Yukon (First Nation, municipal, territorial, federal) in order to be eligible for participation in the YNP. The employer must be in good standing with Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board (YWCHSB) and Employment Standards. If the employer is involved in a business which requires special licensing such as a child care facility, that licensing must be in place and current.
Advertising: Employers must demonstrate proof of local and national recruitment efforts. Miminum advertising requirements consist of:


National advertising placed on Service Canada’s Job Bank
(http://www.jobbank.gc.ca), local advertising placed on YuWin (www.yuwin.ca), and print media (newspapers, magazines, job boards, etc.) or general employment websites (monster.ca, Workopolis.com, etc…).



Advertising must clearly specify
A. The position title (as per the NOC)
B. The duties of the position
C. The hours per week
D. The exact hourly wage
E. The National Occupational Classification code (NOC)
Information on NOC codes and position descriptions can be found at http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2011/SearchIndex.aspx; If the wage information for the NOC is not available for Yukon. Please refer to the wages in
Northern BC.
For wage information, please refer to the wages in the following order:
1. Yukon
2. North Coast
3. Nechako
4. Northeast
5. British Columbia
Miminum advertising time is four weeks during the three months period prior to receipt of the application. Advertising requirements must be satisfied prior to submittal of the application;Employers must continue with their advertising efforts until the application is approved;



Please indicate how many Canadian or permanent resident workers applied for the position and why you did not hire them. Do not submit their résumés with your application, but do keep them on file for at least two years, in the event this documentation is requested by a Service Canada Officer.

YNP Application Handbook

2|Page



Employers must provide free to nominees health insurance that gives similar coverage to what a Yukon resident gets under the Health Care Insurance Plan Act until the nominee is eligible for insured health card under the Health Care Insurance
Plan Act.



Employers must pay for the air travel costs for the nominee to come to the Yukon from his/her place of permanent residence (but not for the travel costs of family or dependants) if they are not already present in Yukon.



Employers must pay for the return air transportation for the nominee from Yukon to their country if the nominee does not obtain permanent residency or is no longer participating in the Yukon Nominee Program.



Employers must verify previous work experience and qualifications of the foreign national prior to submitting the application



Screening Interview (if applicable): If the foreign national is already in Yukon, the employer must arrange for a screening interview with an officer. Both the foreign national and employer must be present.

2) Foreign National Requirements

Eligibility: If in Canada at the time of application, the foreign national must have legal status in Canada. Only foreign nationals with a valid Temporary Work Permit (TWP) or a student visa, with the course of study completed, will be allowed. Foreign nationals cannot be refugee claimants or visitors. Any foreign national who is in Canada on a student permit needs to demonstrate completion of all the requirements of the academic program before being considered for the YNP. Potential nominees must satisfy the YNP that it is their intent to settle permanently in Yukon and undertake the process to become a permanent resident of Canada as expeditiously as possible.
Criteria: Foreign nationals must meet all YNP criteria. This includes:
 Education and work experience that satisfies all the requirements of the job as per the criteria specified in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) (the minimum acceptable level of education is completion of high school)



Proof of a minimum of six months directly related work experience for the position being nominated for a critical impact worker, one year for a skilled worker;
Language proficiency results meeting YNP minimum language requirements from a language test administered by a designated testing agency. Accepted tests are the
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training, the
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General, and the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF).
YNP Application Handbook

3|Page

A. Skilled Worker Category (Skill Level 0 and A)

Foreign nationals who are seeking employment in jobs that fall in Skill Level 0 or A, are required to have minimum scores in each category (Reading, Writing, Listening,
Speaking). These scores are:
* 6 for IELTS (International English Language Testing Score)
* 4L for CELPIP - General (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program)
* 4 for TEF (Test d'évaluation du Français)
B. Skilled Worker Category (Skill Level B)
Foreign nationals, who are looking to work in jobs that fall in Skill Level B, are required to have minimum scores in each category (Reading, Writing, Listening, and
Speaking). These scores are:
* 5 for IELTS (International English Language Testing Score)
* 3L for CELPIP - General (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program)
* 3 for TEF (Test d'évaluation du Français)
C. Critical Impact Worker Category (Skill Level C or D)
Foreign nationals, who are looking to work in jobs that fall in Skill Level C or D, are required to have minimum scores in each category (Reading, Writing, Listening, and
Speaking). These scores are:
* 4 for IELTS (International English Language Testing Score)
* 2H for CELPIP - General (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index
Program)
* 3 for TEF (Test d'évaluation du Français)
Documentation: Foreign nationals must provide documentation showing they meet all
YNP criteria. All supporting documents must be submitted as notarized copies with contact information for the notary included. Documents in languages other than English or French must be translated by an accredited translator (with contact information for verification) to one of Canada’s official languages. The notarized document in the original language needs to accompany the translation. Required documentation includes: 

Proof of previous work experience with letter(s) confirming previous employment.
Notarized copies only. Documentation must include letters of reference from the supervisor or Human Resources officer identified by name and title. Letters must meet the following criteria:

o Must be on company letterhead
YNP Application Handbook

4|Page

o Must indicate start and end date of employment o Job title o Job duties o Contact information of the supervisor or Human Resources officer issuing the letter (phone number, fax number, e-mail, company website)


Additional documents may be requested by the assessing officers, such as: o Pay stubs o Income tax records o Other documents as requested by the assessing officer



If previously self-employed, certificates proving the establishment and good standing of the business for the period in question are required;



Passport for Foreign National must be valid, notarized copy;



Work Permit: (if Foreign National already has a Temporary Work Permit): must be notarized copy;



Spouse: Passport/ Marriage Certificate / Divorce Certificate, must be valid notarized copies. This information must be included whether the spouse is accompanying the nominee or not;



Common-Law: Passport / Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union must be valid notarized copies. This information must be included whether the spouse is accompanying the nominee or not. To prove common-law relationship please fill out the Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union Form http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5409E.pdf and include it with the application; 

Dependants: Passport/ Birth Certificate must be valid notarized copies. This information must be included whether the spouse is accompanying the nominee or not; 

If applicable, a notarized copy of the foreign national’s current Temporary Work
Permit. The foreign national cannot be a refugee claimant or visitor.



If the foreign national is to be employed in the transportation industry as a taxi driver, long haul trucker, etc. the following requirement must be met: Applicants who hold a driver's license outside of Canada within the past 3 years must obtain their own driver's record that would show information about recent collisions, violations, or suspensions. Every country has a different procedure for this, but we recommend contacting the agency which issued your license.

YNP Application Handbook

5|Page



If the foreign national is to be employed in the daycare industry, please visit the
Child Care Services website for designation guidelines for a Child Care Worker, http://www.hss.gov.yk.ca/pdf/cc_designation_guidlines.pdf 
Child Care Services unit is responsible for assessing educational transcripts to determine the level of certification for child care professionals who work in licensed child care programs in Yukon. (http://www.hss.gov.yk.ca/ccproviders.php)
3) YNP Forms

i) Application Form - http://www.immigration.gov.yk.ca/pdf/ynp_application.pdf
The Application Form must be complete, signed and dated. The Application Form includes the stream (Skilled Worker or Critical Impact Worker), company information, position information (including the NOC code, hours per week, wage rate and a brief description of the position), advertising information, foreign national information, and declarations by the employer and the foreign national. Original signatures are required by both the employer and the foreign national. ii) Settlement and Retention Plan http://www.immigration.gov.yk.ca/pdf/ynp_settlement_retention.pdf
The Settlement and Retention Plan includes questions on accommodation, information and resources, language, health and safety, and retention in order to determine how employers will help their potential future nominees settle and stay in the Yukon.
Original signatures are required by both the employer and the foreign national. iii) Guaranteed Employment Offer http://www.immigration.gov.yk.ca/pdf/ynp_geo.pdf
The Guaranteed Employment Offer outlines all conditions of the position. The median wage must be provided (see http://www.workingincanada.gc.ca for wage information) and Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) levels must be met as determined by Statistics Canada whether the dependents are accompanying the nominee or not. The Guaranteed
Employment Offer must specify an hourly and yearly salary, the number of hours of work per week (minimum 35-40 hours/week), vacation (or vacation pay), and all other relevant employment details. Original signatures are required by both the employer and the foreign national. iv) Tripartite Agreement (formerly known as the Memorandum of Understanding) http://www.immigration.gov.yk.ca/pdf/ynp_memorandum_of_understanding.pdf o Employers and nominees must comply with all agreements made in the
Tripartite Agreement. If nominee is already in Yukon, they must arrange for a meeting with Immigration staff to sign the TPA within 14 days from the issuance of the acceptance letter;
YNP Application Handbook

6|Page

o If the nominee is not in Canada, they must arrange for a meeting with
Immigration staff to sign the TPA within 14 days of the nominee’s arrival in
Yukon;
o Nominee is required to bring:


Passport



Work Permit



Current Yukon address and phone number

v) Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual Form http://www.immigration.gov.yk.ca/pdf/release_personal_info.pdf o This form is for foreign nationals who wish to authorize the Yukon Nominee
Program and Yukon Temporary Foreign Worker Program to release their personal information to an individual they designate. The individual you designate will be able to obtain information on your case file, such as the status of your application. However, he or she will not be a representative who can conduct business on your behalf with the Yukon Nominee Program or Yukon
Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

4) An application is submitted by the employer to the YNP for review

The processing time for Skilled Worker/Critical Impact Worker applications is eight to ten weeks from receipt of a complete application. Processing times vary and depend on the volume of applications received at any given time.
Incomplete application: if an application is incomplete, a letter will be sent to the employer stating that the application cannot be processed. The employer will be given a period of 30 days to submit the required information. If, after a period of 30 days the necessary information has not been provided, the application will be returned to the employer. Employers are welcome to resubmit when an application is complete.
Refused applications: if an application is refused, a letter will be sent to the employer stating that this application is refused and cannot be processed. The application will be returned to the employer in 30 days from the date of the issuance of the refusal letter.
5) Application Review Process

If the employer and the foreign national meet all program criteria, a recommendation is made to the Manager, Immigration for acceptance or refusal of the application. The
Manager, Immigration has final signing authority on application decisions. In instances
YNP Application Handbook

7|Page

where an application is refused and the employer feels an error was made or submitted information not considered, he/she can request an administrative review of the decision.
This request must be made in writing within 30 days of the issuance of the refusal letter.
6) Application is Approved

Upon approval of an application to the YNP, the foreign national obtains nominee status and nomination information is sent to CIC. As a Provincial Nominee, he/she receives two letters from Advanced Education. One letter is in support of an application for a temporary work permit, allowing the individual the opportunity to begin (or continue) working for the employer while the application for permanent residency is being processed. The second letter is to be included with the application for permanent residency and informs the individual he/she is accepted to the YNP.
7) Temporary Work Permit Applications

A temporary work permit is required for anyone who is not a citizen or a permanent resident of Canada to legally work in Canada. The issuance of temporary work permits is the responsibility of the Government of Canada. Please see Citizenship and Immigration
Canada’s website, www.cic.gc.ca, for more information on how to apply for a temporary work permit. Processing times for temporary work permits vary; please refer to CIC’s website for approximate timelines.
8) Permanent Residence Applications

Applications for permanent residency are to be submitted within three to six months of the nominee’s arrival to Yukon. Nominees are strongly encouraged to apply for permanent residence to Canada as soon as possible. Please see Citizenship and
Immigration Canada’s website, www.cic.gc.ca, for information on how to apply for permanent residence.
9) Permanent Residence Granted

Once a nominee receives permanent residence status, they must bring in their permanent residence card to the Advanced Education Branch so an officer can look at the original card and keep a photocopy of the permanent residence card for our files.

YNP Application Handbook

8|Page